Sheet dispensing starter



Sept. 6, 1960 T. G. .HALEY SHEET DISPENSING STARTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1959 INVENTO R syadm. Hak/ VATTORNEY Sept. 6, 1960 T. G. HALEY SHEET DISPENSING STARTER 2 sheets-smeetl 2 Filed April 2, 1959 INVENTOR Zadoe ATTORNEY United States Patent lSHEET DISPENSING'STARTER Theodore G. Haley, 1185 Linden Ave., Stratford, ,Conna Filed Apr.` 2,.,1959, SeLNo. 803,794 V 14 claims.. (Cl. zas-asa) This invention relates to adevice for starting the dis-` pensing of sheet materialthat `is about to be payed out.

from a dispensing container.. ItV is .t particularly usefulfor transmitting finger thrust to,dispensable sheet material having a slippery surface -suclras aluminum foil,

An object of the inyentionis toavoid the neelfor manipulating a `dispensing box in a Way that must distort or make gaps `openingvinto` the box for gainingL access to the contained foil or other dispensable sheet material in order to regain finger, tip, grasp of a margin of thefoil` :for pulling `a Subsequent length of foil out of the box after adispensed sheet of the f oil has previously been pulled out and torn off ilush with the outer surface of the box.

Another object is to preserve cleanliness and sanitation of the contents of the dispensing box byeliminating unshielding apertures in or between the box walls which A still further object is to utilize in the structure ofsuch device a sheet ofresilientmembranous material having a frictional non adherent surface or surfacing ofrmechanically tenacious nature which while imperforate,

tough and durable nevertheless is so thin and flexible as to be freely capable of bulging, wrinkling and stretching so as to permit substantial movement of the foil impelling frictional surface of the device in a plurality of directions when caused by finger thrust and then operate automatically to restore the frictional surface of the device to` normal starting position after displacement by such finger thrust.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will appear in greater detail from the following description of `a successful embodiment of the improvements having reference to the appended drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a dispensable sheet of material that has been pulled out from a dispensing box incorporating the invention and partially torn off ush with the outer surface of the box.

Fig. 2 shows a margin of the foil that remained in the box partially ejected by finger application of the dispensing starter of these improvements.

Fig. 3 shows the projected margin ofthe foil grasped by the finger tips preparatory to withdrawing from the box any selective length of foil which can then be torn oif as shown in Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective View of the dispensing box drawn on an enlarged scale containing a roll of foil with parts broken away to expose the construction.

Fg. 5 is a fragmentary View on a still larger scale taken in section onthe `plane 5 5 in Fig. 4 looking inqthe direction of the arrows. p

Fig. 6 is a detail view of the aperture closing membrane showing its wrinkling `and stretching action when `manipulated ,as in Fig. 2.

Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are views corresponding respectively with Figs. 4, 5 and 6 showing a modification of the aperture closing membrane.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary viewsimilar to Fig. 7 with parts differently broken away to show a slippery surfacing of the tuck flap of the box cover.

The dispensing container chosen to illustrate the present invention is a conventional elongate folded cardboard box 12 of suiiicient `cross-sectional size to `house a continuous rolled length of aluminum foil 9 wound on and to be payed o from a core tube 10. Aluminum foil serves many domestic purposes such as the protection of ovens from foods that boil over, the covering of bowls that contain foodf in refrigerating storage, the lining of broiler pans, casseroles, etc., the direct wrapping of food such as turkeys or chickens to reduce oven shrinkage, and for covering leafy vegetables or cut fruit to keep them garden fresh in the refrigerator. Foil so used comes into intimate contact with the foods concerned .and needs be kept sanitarily clean and free from soiling or dust collection. The metallic surfaceof such foil is slippery to" the touch, particularly when only one face of the foil is accessible to 'be reached byfthe users fingers when no margin of the foil projects from theA dispensing box.

Dispensing box 12 as shown in the drawings has a folding pasteboard cover 13 terminating in a downward directed ilap 14 that tucks -in between the outer front wall 15 of the box and the front edges of the inward bent top flanges 20 of the box ends 21 when the cover 13 is folded into closed position. ln being withdrawn from the box the foil slides between box wall 15 Aand tuck flap 141 For convenience in tearing off the foil without the use of a separate tool'such as shears or a knife, the fee top margin of the front box Wall 15 is equipped with nesawlike teeth 16 which may be formed in the edge of a thin metal strip 17- fastened broadside against the inner surface of the top margin of box wall 15.

A dispensing box as above described has now become conventional but entails bothersome maneuvering by the finger tips in order to regain access to foil that remains inaccessiblyconned within the box after a dispensed length of the foil has been torn olf `flush with the box by ripping it against the toothed edge 16 of the strip 17 as shown in Fig. l. The present improvement'makes instantly accessible, just prior to withdrawing an additional length of foil from the box, the projecting margin of `a new runof the foil. Such margin by 'means of the present invention becomes accessible for finger gra'sp outside the box as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The improved device for accomplishing this is located at an aperture 18 in the front wall 15 of box 12. Com-n .pletely covering all of this aperture there is an elastic membrane 19 of thin, tough and ilexible material capable of considerable bulging, wrinkling and stretching, simultaneously without ruptu'ring. Membrane'19 may or need not be secured all around the border of the aperture in a manner completely to seal the interior of the box, but will be such as to exclude dust, dirt and foreign substances from entrance to the box.

Membrane 19 may comprise a small panel of ordinary deposited latex or Par rubber as thin las A001" to .004 having the usual stretchable and resilient properties that characterize surgeons gloves which properties render the membrane highly llexible, resilient and tough with a nonslippery or minutely creviced surface texture of frictional clinging nature. If desired it may be transparent or translucent. Normally` the panel 19 is held taut across Patented Sept. i6, 193i) the aperture Without slack by securing a major extent of 1ts combined margins in overlapping relation to the mner surface of box Wall 15, as with the aid of an adhesive cut-out 22 that frames the membrane 19, or bare margins of the panel may be bonded directly to the box Wall as in Figs. 7,` 8 and 9. A suitable approximate size for aperture 18 is 5/s x 1%, it being foundV that an aperture a little longer than it is wide best accommodates application of finger or thumb thereagainst and facilitates the desired performance of the membrane.

In Figs. 1 to 6, inclusive, for impellinglyrengaging the front slippery surface of foil 9, a patch 23 having a friction affording surface of gritty nature such as fine sandpaper is fixedly attached to the inner `surface of membrane 19, while on its outer surface membrane 19V xedly carries a nubbin 24 which may also possess a rough or gn'tty surface and need not project outward from the membrane any farther than to be flush with the front surface of box Wall 15. Preferably there is applied a colored marking 25 `around apertureIS on the outside surface of the box to make the location of the aperture more conspicuous.

In the understanding that the roll of foil 9 inside of box 12 is loose and free to turn on its own axis, a dispensing container embodying the improvement when constructed as above described will be used as follows. A previously withdrawn length of foil 9 can be torn off flush with the box by ripping it against the fine toothed severing edge 16 -as shown in Fig. 1. This leaves no accessible portion of the remaining foil projecting outside the box. Now While the left hand of the user holds the box as shown in Fig. 2, the thumb or a finger of the right hand can be applied to the nubbin 24 in a manner to press the friction patch 23 inward and upward against the front face of the foil as is permitted by the elasticity of membrane 19 which makes the membrane capable of bulging inward of the box and wrinkling contractively crosswise in its portions above the nubbin at W while stretching expansively in vertical and lateral directions below the nubbin at S as shown in Fig. 6.

The frictional grab of patch 23 against the front sur* face of foil 9 while the latter is supportingly backed up by the stiffness of flap 14 has been found to seize the face of the foil with sufficient impelling force to eject a narrow margin of the foil to the exterior of the box where it becomes accessible to be grasped by the thumb and fingers of the users hand as shown in Fig. 3. This enables as much more length of the foil to be withdrawn from the box as is desired which length can then be torn off for use as shown in Fig. 1.

In Figs. 3 and 5, it also is shown that the patch 23 and nubbin 24 have been returned automatically to their original location near the bottom of aperture 13 by the resilience in membrane 19 `and are ready for the de-V scribed operations to be repeated.

If it is found desirable to increase the stiffness of the tuck flap 14 for stronger support of the foil against inward pressure by patch 23 the tuck flap may be reinforced by one or more laminations of cardboard or stiffer material as indicated yat 26 in Fig. 5. If the principles of this invention are to ybe incorporated for help in dispensing a sheet material that has a strong clinging amnity for the front surface of tuck flap 14, I prefer to surface the front face of the fiap as shown in Fig. with a slippery coating or covering 30 such as holland cloth or a superpolyamide paper sheet or to dust it with a permanent surface lubricant such Vas stearate of zinc or powdered soap stone at least in the area where the membrane 19 or 19' presses the sheet 9'backward thereagainst while being dispensed. For instance in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, the projecting patch 23 and nubbin 24 are both omitted, or either alone might be omitted, when the nature of the surface of the sheet material 9 to be dispensed and the nature of the sheet impelling surface of the membrane 19 are such as to produce su'icient frictional drag unaided therebetween and by mere pressure'of the operAIA ators finger to impel the sheet material to its position shown in broken lines in Figs. 7 and 8 as by pushing backward and at the same time lifting upward on the bare membrane as shown in Fig. 9.

Nonsticky and nonadhesive Vtextures of surfaces o f membrane 19 that will produce sufficient rubbing fric# tional cling against the face of aluminum foil, without? resort to any patch or nubbin such as 23 or 24 projecting Y from the surface of the membrane, including not only that of natural coagulated Par `rubber but also such for instance as the minutely pitted or microscopically crinkled surface textures produced by molding or fretting operations employed in vulcanized rubber manufacture in ways well known to glove making and allied arts. Also the spongy and easily distortable nature of minutely intersticed surfaces of certain porous plastics, which results from the laying open of tiny fractured surface cells,.can also possess a suiiicientlyhigh degree of non-adhesive impelling cling against the face of aluminum foil but this type of surface texture is more subject to a wearing down to an undesirable smoothness in use, especially whereV there are tiny facial pockets or crevices that may become clogged with foreign substance.

In Figs. 7 and 9 it further is to be noticed that membrane 19 is adhered to the front Wall of the box along only its top and side margins, its bottom margin being left free to move relatively to the box wall. The bond ing adhesive is indicated at 27 in Fig. 7. The membrane could be adhered to the outer instead of the inner surface of the front wall 15 of the box.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application, Serial No. 741,581 filed June 12, 1958, now forfeited.

, The appended claims are intended to be interpreted as covering all fair equivalents of the embodiments of the invention herein chosen to illustrate the principles thereof.

I claim:

l. A dispensing starter adapted to completely close a container aperture and transmit finger push impellingly Y to the surface of a sheet within the container to be dispensed therefrom comprising, a container wall having an aperture anking the surface of the sheet to be dispensed, an elastic membrane capable of bulging, wrinkling and stretching, mounted on said wall so as to span and cornpletely close said aperture, a sheet guiding abutment surface located within the container closely at the rear' of said membrane in position to resist thrust of said membrane inward of the container, a friction patch carried on the inner surface of said membrane facing said abutment to be pushed into impelling engagement with the surface of said sheet within the container, and a manually actuatable nubbin carried on the outer surface of said membrane at said aperture accessible for finger manipulation in a manner to cause sheet impelling movement of said patch.

2. A dispensing starter as defined in claim l, in which said sheet guiding abutment surface is stationary, and fixed in spaced relation to the said membrane.

- 3. A dispensing starter as defined in claim l, in which the said membrane overlaps and is secured to all margins of the said container wall that border the said aperture.

4. A dispensing starter as defined in claim 1, in which the said aperture is shaped to expose a rectangular area of said membrane longer than it is wide, whereby to accommodate simultaneous wrinkling and v.stretching of different portions of the area of the said membrane exposed in said aperture. Y v

5. A dispensing starter as defined in claim l, in which the said friction patch and the said nubbin are on opposite faces respectively of the said stretchable membrane in mutually registering locations whereby norentirely bare portion of -said stretchable membrane is `depended upon to transmit finger induced movement of said nubbin to `said sheet impelling patch.

6. A dispensing starter as deiined in claim 1, -in which the said nubbin projects from the said membrane substantially no further than the thickness of the said container wall that borders the said aperture whereby to permit the container to be stacked with its apertured wall in flat face-to-face abutment against the wall of a like container without danger of damage to said nubbin.

7. A dispensing starter as deiined in claim 1, in which the said container wall is an outer wall of the container terminating in a sheet severing edge, and the said sheet guiding abutment comprises the flap of another wall of the container flanking the said outer wall at the interior of the container.

8. A dispensing starter as defined in claim 1, in which the said membrane is composed of Par rubber from .001 to .002H thick and the area of the said aperture is approximately by 5X1.

9. A dispensing starter as dened in claim 1, in which the said nubbin is normally located proximate one boundary of the area of the said membrane exposed in the said aperture whereby to give maximum room for sliding of the nubbin toward the opposite boundary of said area.

10. A dispensing starter as defined in claim 1, together with an adhesive layer of thin fiat material framing and overlapping and in direct adhering contact with the margins both of the said membrane and of the said container wall that borders the said aperture.

11. In a dispensing box having a cover with a tuck flap underlapping a wall of the box to form a passageway between said iiap and wall through which passageway box contained sheet material can be withdrawn from the box, a portion of said wall containing an aperture closely flanked inwardly by said tuck iiap, and membranous means completely covering said aperture carrying a sheet impelling projection inward of said wall and also carrying a manipulatable projection exposed in said aperture.

12. A dispensing starter adapted to cover a container aperture and transmit nger push impellingly to the sur face of a sheet within the container to be dispensed therefrom, comprising a container wall having an aperture anking the surface of the sheet to be dispensed, a sheet guiding abutment surface located within the container closely at the rear of said aperture aiording a narrow passageway therebetween, and an elastic membrane capable of bulging, wrinkling and stretching mounted on said wall so as to span and cover said aperture having a friction affording inner surface facing said abutment to be pushed toward said abutment surface into impelling engagement with the surface of a sheet to be dispensed from the container threaded through said passageway, and having a friction aiording outer surface at said aperture accessible for iinger contact and manipulation in a manner to cause sheet mpelling movement of said inner friction aiording membrane surface.

13. A dispensing box having a cover with a tuck iiap underlapping a wall of the box to form a passageway between said flap and wall through which box contained sheet material can be withdrawn from the box, a portion of said wall containing an aperture closely flanked inwardly by said tuck flap, and membranous means covering said aperture having a friction affording surface facing inward of said wall and a friction affording surface exposed outward of said wall at said aperture.

14. A dispensing box as defined in claim 13, together with a lubricating substance covering at least a partial area of the said tuck ap facing and bordering on the said passageway, whereby to increase the ease with which slipping of the said sheet material can take place past said tuck flap in comparison with the impelling power of the said inward facing friction affording surface of said membranous means against said sheet material.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,827,029 Marcalus Oct. 13, 1931 1,881,731 Lewandowski Oct. 11, 1932 2,096,107 Haggerty Oct. 19, 1937 2,334,757 Ensminger Nov. 23, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS 410,584 Germany Mar. 4, 1925 

